- Whilst it may be an EP of just seven tracks, precious boi certainly packs a punch. Crafted by Sydney’s rising star Charles Waldren aka Poolroom., it is something of many layers. Like a great patchwork quilt it keeps you warm with its tapestry of synth wobbles, ‘80’s slow jam vocals and jarring guitar moments. This is reinforced, even more so, by the EP’s cover art, which features a collage of Waldren’s shenanigans and Aussie flora. From the moment you press play on If I Call, the tone of his world is set, with his signature synth-sliding keys and Australian accent prominent as he sings his way over the beats, it really is the perfect introduction.
A solid standout is track two, The Future, a snappy electroclash number that dances around your whole body. It’s got a perfect build up to when the lyrics “take a trip to the future”. The guitar licks smack you in the face throughout and you know, well, it’s all pure gold. Props to the vocal work on this one too, mirroring the sounds of The Presets, INXS and dare I say Prince, although I will leave the latter judgement up to your ears.
Softer moments echo the work of Neon Indian and Toro Y Moi as Waldren takes us down an acid trip of slow jams on Coeliac Serenade, Slow Down and Ripples. All are perfect for you to pop on some headphones as you slip-slide or energetically climb this game of snakes and ladders. Each number is embedded with adlibs -sometimes unrecognizable at first- and Disney like soundtracks chopped and stretched by the PC productions, used frequently these days to create new sounds altogether.
I only have a few criticisms to voice, I was sad to see his 2017 debut single, Youth, and follow up Figure It Out missing off the line up. Both could have boosted the overall release and created a super LP. I highly recommend checking them out once you’ve played precious boi right through, think of them as bonus tracks. Overall the Poolroom. has unleashed a solid debut for the world to enjoy so turn up the volume and let the synths and guitars do the jive-talking, into the future.
- Luke Doig.